The freedom and promise of adventure on the open road has long been the stuff of movies, car commercials and aspiration. The call of the road trip is increasingly proving impossible to resist for those looking for a family holiday that rises above the mundane and into the memorable.

With time more precious than ever, families are going in search of holidays that can not only entertain but also educate, combining spectacular scenery and multiple destinations with valuable time together. It can be hard to find a holiday that works for everyone in the family, but if you can find the right road trip, it will tick every box on your list and delight each and every one of you.

In this article, we'll examine three reasons why a family road trip is a fantastic holiday and hopefully leave you thinking about this kind of holiday when you come to book your next adventure.

1. Family bonding time

A road trip is all about spending time together. This isn’t a holiday where the kids go off to the kids’ club while the parents lay around by the pool. This really is precious time together as a family. Of course, some peace and quiet is nice now and then, but you really can’t beat making memories with your children on holiday. In the years to come when they are all grown up, those will be the images that you go back to and the memories you recall.

The best advice we can give you is to involve all of the family right from the start. Plan the route together, decide where you want to stop and what you want to see and even get the kids involved in choosing the car. They can also help you choose the games you all play when you travel from place to place.

And when you come to book it, let them help. Make sure you scour the internet for the best deals, look for discount codes and coupons that might help reduce the price, of course. But keeping the kids involved will help them feel a part of this special holiday right from the off.

2. Entertain and educate

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

The beach and the pool are great fun, but your children are unlikely to learn anything new, except perhaps how to jump into the pool with a big splash. A family road trip combines fun and education. It is the best kind of learning, where the children don’t even realise that is what is happening. A survey of travellers in the United States found that the majority of family road trips are taken to magnificent national parks such as Yosemite and Yellowstone. These places are living, breathing natural history museums and allow your children to learn about the environment, history and geography all in one go.

3. Variety is the spice of life

Photo by Jessica Rockowitz on Unsplash

There are so many options for where you go on a road trip. In 2019, Route 66 was voted the most Instagram-worthy road trip in the world and it’s easy to see why. But you could head for the Amalfi Coast in Italy and experience a culture and road trip that is completely different.

Highway 1 in California is one of the world’s most famous and picturesque road trips that combines incredible beaches with some of the world’s most renowned cities. Road trips can give you everything. You can start in San Francisco, drive through Yosemite National Park and the magnificent wilderness and then end up in the sleepy beach town of Laguna Beach. What more could you want from a holiday?